Hibs host Aberdeen tonight after a starkly contrasting start to the season for the sides.
The hosts are looking for a win to lift them off the bottom of the table and above capital rivals Hearts.
They haven’t won in their last eight outings though and their last action saw them thumped 4-1 by Dundee at Dens Park after taking an early lead but seeing Jordan Obita sent off soon after.
Hibees captain Joe Newell admitted there were some angry scenes in the dressing room after that one while conceding the club were in a relegation battle as things stand.
Elie Youan was also slammed for an “embarrassing” and “unacceptable” moment in which he casually did keepy-uppies while the game was stopped after the red card, rather than focusing on how the team were going to adapt.
But manager David Gray had his say on that yesterday and played down the incident.
On the other hand, Aberdeen are up at the top end of the table and now sit second after having their unbeaten record ruined by St Mirren at the weekend.
The Dons are now two points off the top and will look to regain their firm to keep a hold of second.
Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie insisted any talk of a title challenge was ‘madness’ at this early stage anyway.
Not the Old Firm had a go at predicting the Hibs and Aberdeen XIs for this one earlier, but the actual teams are now in.
Hibs team to face Aberdeen
Hibs starting XI: Smith, Miller, O’Hora, Rocky, Iredale, Newell, Triantis, Youan, Hoilett, N.Cadden, Kuharevich
Subs: Bursik, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Boyle, C.Cadden, Kwon, Campbell, Gayle, Molotnikov
Aberdeen team to face Hibs
Aberdeen starting XI: Mitov, Devlin, MacKenzie, Shinnie, Nilsen, McGrath, Nisbet, Duk, Molloy, Rubezic, Keskinen
Subs: Doohan, Clarkson, McGarry, Besuijen, Palaversa, Sokler, Morris, Milne, Ambrose